Sponored by Rent The Runway
Look, I know you think I should be honored and #blessed to be invited to your wedding, but in all reality here, given how much money I have to spend on your wedding, I’m pretty sure it’s actually the other way around. So like, you’re welcome for gracing you with my presence. Given how much money you’re forced to spend on the hotel, gift, etc., it’s nice to know that there’s a way to avoid spending half your paycheck on a dress you’re only going to wear once (because we all know that once an outfit has been on the ‘gram it gets banished to the back of your closet for the rest of eternity.)
Instead of shelling out money to actually buy a gown, you can just rent one of the amazing dress options from Rent The Runway. The cost of renting it is wayyy less than what your gown would retain for, and some dresses start as low as $30. This way, you can still look amazing and wear a $1,200 designer dress without spending anywhere near that. Here are some of the best dress options on Rent The Runway right now that will be perfect for attending any fall wedding.
Black Halo Naples Gown
$575 retail / 4 day rental $70-85
This yellow dress is similar to the iconic dress Kate Hudson wore in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and I’m totally here for it. I mean, anything reminiscent of Kate Hudson implies an effortless beauty, which is something we’re all constantly striving for. Now, I know yellow may seem like an odd choice for fall, but hear me out. This yellow is a deep and rich enough tone that it doesn’t scream “summer,” and when paired with a cool cropped leather jacket or faux fur shawl, you’ll be perfectly stylish and seasonally-appropriate!
Catherine Deane Red Lace Lena Dress
$680 retail / 4 day rental $90-105
This lacy dress is chic and sophisticated, while also subtly sexy. The intricate details of the red lace against the nude fabric elevate this midi dress from other, more basic lace dresses. Not to mention, the red color combined with the lace gives it a flirty, feminine vibe. This is the kind of dress that demands attention and makes a statement, which is the ideal kind of dress to rent rather than buy.
ML Monique Lhuillier Midnight Lace Gown
$650 retail / $65 to buy
This tiered gown is EVERYTHING. I’m obsessed with the perfectly fall rich navy color in the baroque-adjacent lace pattern. The whole vibe of the gown is very gothic princess, but like, in the most elegant way possible. What I love about this gown is how unique it is and how it’s pretty much guaranteed to flatter all body types. You’ll legit look and feel like a princess, and who doesn’t want that?
Christian Siriano Knit Drape Dress
$1,595 retail / 4 day rental $270-280
I know this may come as a shock to you all but, as a 26-year-old Communications major who just moved out of her parents’ house, I can’t afford a Christian Siriano dress. However, I CAN afford to rent one (well barely, but that’s a personal problem). This dress is classy and conservative, making it the ideal dress for attending a wedding when it might end up being like, freezing.
Cooper Street Midnight Lucky Gown
$389 retail / 4 day rental for $70
So this is the type of glitzy gown I would have dreamed of my mom letting me get for prom, but of course there’s no way in hell she would have let me buy a $400 dress. Which like, fair, she had to use her Macy’s coupons. But now I can finally live out my prom fantasy of wearing such a gorgeous dress, just now as a wedding guest instead. And I can even do so without actually having to buy the dress! With the sequins and the silhouette, this dress is beautiful and classy, making it the ideal dress for an elevated bougie Black-tie wedding. You know, the kind with an open bar that’s fully stocked with top-shelf alcohol.
C/MEO Collective Take Seriously Dress
$198 retail / 4 day rental $30-35
Honestly, the name of this dress embodies it perfectly. It’s the type of dress you wear to a wedding where you don’t mention that you went to a Big 10 school and once did a beer bong on the roof of a frat house. This is the dress you wear to attend the formal wedding of your boyfriend’s fancy lawyer friends. Like, where you know the other women will already be judging you regardless, so you come in looking like a class act. It’s all around very Amal Clooney vibes. Plus, pleating is very in for fall, and this dress has just the right amount without being over-the-top trendy.
Slate & Willow Metallic Flounce Hem Dress
$128 retail / 4 day rental for $30
For a cocktail attire wedding, this dress is beyond perfect. The bronze color paired with long sleeves make it perfect for fall, while the metallic sheen elevates the dress and gives it a touch of trendiness. At a retail price of $128, this may seem like the type of dress you’d just blindly buy right out. But a wiser woman than you would recognize that a dress this cute is sure to be remembered, which means it’s highly unlikely you’ll wear it again. Hence, the more fiscally responsible thing to do here would be to rent it rather than buy it.
Shoshanna Navy Montrose Gown
$649 retail / $65 to buy
This gown is stunning, and even better, it’s pretty much guaranteed to flatter everyone. The keyhole cutout and fitted silhouette give it a touch of sex appeal without being over-the-top. But the best part is probably the fluttery off-the-shoulder sleeves, which always give the illusion of perfect arms without even having to strike the “skinny arm” pose. The midnight color plus minimal mock turtleneck give it just the right amount of fall-appropriate vibes.
When the rental price of your RTR gown costs a fraction of the retail value, you’re guaranteed to look incredible while also making a smart financial decision. Even though you would usually justify buying the dress by claiming you’ll wear it again, we all know that’s a lie. And realistically, you’re probs too lazy to even attempt to resell it. So save yourself the buyer’s remorse and utilize Rent The Runway’s amazing selection of wedding guest dresses. Plus, you can even get 30% off everything on Rent The Runway (including their monthly subscription to Unlimited and Update memberships too) if you use code: RTRXBETCHES.
30% Off Everything on Rent the Runway (that includes Unlimited and Update memberships too!) use code: RTRXBETCHES
Images: Naku Mayo / Unsplash; Rent The Runway (8)
